IT.COM

strategy $30K domain sale made possible by LinkedIn followup

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Do you regularly use LinkedIn for for any of the following?

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  • This poll is still running and the standings may change.

Rob Monster

Founder of EpikTop Member
Epik Founder
Impact
18,389
Over the weekend, I helped @RJ complete a domain sale of the domain name Level7.com. For those of you who don't know RJ, he is the founder of NamePros. When he started moving his domains to Epik, I did not even realize it but have since enjoyed supporting his efforts and have found him to be a supportive ally.

The Deal

As for the transaction, the all-cash sale price was $30,000. Although we don't normally post domain sales, @RJ and I agreed that this was worth mentioning because it illustrates some points about how domain sellers can make effective use of LinkedIn for closing deals and increasing their professional network.

The domain name Level7.com is in of itself not a keyword name. However, if you look at the word level in combination with any number, they are pretty much all taken, even the spelled out versions. If you do a search you will also see that there are many buyers for such names. As such, I think $30K was entirely reasonable.

The Lesson

The relevant point that I want to highlight is the effective use of LinkedIn with customer followups. I am a little bit unique in that I have more than 22,000 1st level connections and about 1.2 million second level connections. However the principles are still relevant to anyone who is serious about this industry.

A few best practices that I am happy to share:

1. Identify the prospect

When we get an inquiry from a prospect, one of the first things I do is I look them up via LinkedIn. We usually know their name, email, phone number and their IP address. So with that, it is pretty straight forward to determine who they are, where they live, who they work for, whether they might be wealthy, etc.

2. Engage and verify the prospect

When responding to the email inquiry, I will often reference their LinkedIn profile and ask them if that is them. That lets them know that you know exactly who they are. It is also a really effective way to make sure you are
not dealing with an impostor. The impostors quickly scatter. Serious people will accept a friend request.

3. Follow up with the prospect

With the connection now made you now have the option of using LinkedIns free CRM tools which many people have tied to their mobile phone as an app which is a lot easier to notice than an email which can get easily lost in the shuffle. It is also a way to soft-sell if the buyer does not commit right away.

4. Manage an ongoing relationship
Once you are connected, if you are someone who periodically posts on LinkedIn, you do have an opportunity to stay in contact. You can also just like or comment on their posts as another way of signaling your interest in supporting their ambitions. It does not take a lot of time and usually comes back just like engaging on NP.

5. Build your network
Once you are connected with your prospect, you now also have an easy way to find more people like them. because, oftentimes you can also see their network. After all, birds of a feather often flock together. So, the guy who bought your CBD or crypto domain, probably hangs with similar persons. Etc.

So, there you go, a quick primer.

Finally, if someone does get an inquiry for a domain name and wants help closing a deal with a qualified buyer with a high potential prospect, I am happy to help out.
 
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The views expressed on this page by users and staff are their own, not those of NamePros.
Nice sale. It's a great domain with a lot of direct upgrade potential. Congrats to both buyer and seller and obviously Rob.
 
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Congrats Rob & RJ!

I also try to keep my connections alive at LinkedIn

Should be an intensive care to customers/networks,
tailored messages for them not the automated ones
 
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I acquired Level7.com from a SnapNames auction on September 21, 2007 for $622. This was a 12.4 year hold with an ROI of 4,289% (annualized ROI 35.59%).

There have been approximately 30 inquiries from about 20 interested parties over the time I held it. Inquires have been from a variety of business types: an apartment complex, a software company, a cannabis company, and a few other startups. My asking price has fluctuated between $27,000 and $50,000. I declined a $10k offer in 2019, a $10k offer in 2017, and a $20k offer in 2010, all from different parties. (And many other offers <= $1000)

I need to read the thread again. Why did you hand it off? Seems you got an offer in and the sale price was $30,000, which was in your range of $27,000 - $50,000.

Congrats on the sale.
 
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I need to read the thread again. Why did you hand it off? Seems you got an offer in and the sale price was $30,000, which was in your range of $27,000 - $50,000.

I handed it off for a better chance at closing a deal faster, and to get closer to my price. The offer was only at $10k when I handed it off, and my price was at $40k. Rob is in a position to negotiate and make connections while I am working my day job, and his commission is pretty reasonable.
 
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Sure thing.

If you know the decision-making authority is with the CFO, then ping the CFO and be congratulatory about the initiative of the sponsoring executive for their interest in their domain. A CFO will typically care about ROI. A CFO might appreciate knowing that there are financing options. A CFO might appreciate knowing that in the USA, you can amortize a domain over 80 quarters (20 years).

If you know the CEO is contemplating a massive re-brand, and there is some Board member that is holding up the train, ping them and offer to have a conversation about why that domain might be accretive to shareholder value. A Board member actually has a fiduciary duty to not overlook an indisputable opportunity to increase shareholder value. A particularly egotistical Board member also may need a reason (new logic or new data) to change their (dogmatic) position, i.e to save face and not look like a flake to their fellow Board members.

As always, we add value by connecting dots, building credibility and solving problems.

But why use Linkedin to contact. I use email with tracking and the image is usually not blocked. I can see when and where the CEO opened the mail and if he does not reply back I know not to bother him again.
 
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But why use Linkedin to contact. I use email with tracking and the image is usually not blocked. I can see when and where the CEO opened the mail and if he does not reply back I know not to bother him again.

Well, I do both. I gave the reasons earlier in the thread.

I reply via email and then also connect on LinkedIn using the domain inquiry as pretext.

Also, emails can sometimes get ignored or spam-trapped, but LinkedIn will usually trigger a mobile alert if the user has the app installed as I think many serious people do these days.

For each his own -- the method works reasonably well for me -- better than email only.

Regards,
Rob
 
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It is not a full CRM (yet) but it sure is a handy tool. I suppose SalesForce.com should have bought LinkedIn when they had the chance.

At Epik, we are going to explore the LinkedIn API to see how we can more effectively integrate into our CRM platform for managing inquiries. There might be something compelling there.

Thank you for this post Rob, I now will get going on LinkedIn again. I had started a "profile" many years ago, and wonder now what opportunities it may bring. Last week my son had also sent me a LinkedIn request (he is halfway through college) .. between the both of you bringing it up, I am excited to re-visit it. Especially with the domain aspect.

Greg
 
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Over the weekend, I helped @RJ complete a domain sale of the domain name Level7.com. For those of you who don't know RJ, he is the founder of NamePros. When he started moving his domains to Epik, I did not even realize it but have since enjoyed supporting his efforts and have found him to be a supportive ally.

The Deal

As for the transaction, the all-cash sale price was $30,000. Although we don't normally post domain sales, @RJ and I agreed that this was worth mentioning because it illustrates some points about how domain sellers can make effective use of LinkedIn for closing deals and increasing their professional network.

The domain name Level7.com is in of itself not a keyword name. However, if you look at the word level in combination with any number, they are pretty much all taken, even the spelled out versions. If you do a search you will also see that there are many buyers for such names. As such, I think $30K was entirely reasonable.

The Lesson

The relevant point that I want to highlight is the effective use of LinkedIn with customer followups. I am a little bit unique in that I have more than 22,000 1st level connections and about 1.2 million second level connections. However the principles are still relevant to anyone who is serious about this industry.

A few best practices that I am happy to share:

1. Identify the prospect

When we get an inquiry from a prospect, one of the first things I do is I look them up via LinkedIn. We usually know their name, email, phone number and their IP address. So with that, it is pretty straight forward to determine who they are, where they live, who they work for, whether they might be wealthy, etc.

2. Engage and verify the prospect

When responding to the email inquiry, I will often reference their LinkedIn profile and ask them if that is them. That lets them know that you know exactly who they are. It is also a really effective way to make sure you are
not dealing with an impostor. The impostors quickly scatter. Serious people will accept a friend request.

3. Follow up with the prospect

With the connection now made you now have the option of using LinkedIns free CRM tools which many people have tied to their mobile phone as an app which is a lot easier to notice than an email which can get easily lost in the shuffle. It is also a way to soft-sell if the buyer does not commit right away.

4. Manage an ongoing relationship
Once you are connected, if you are someone who periodically posts on LinkedIn, you do have an opportunity to stay in contact. You can also just like or comment on their posts as another way of signaling your interest in supporting their ambitions. It does not take a lot of time and usually comes back just like engaging on NP.

5. Build your network
Once you are connected with your prospect, you now also have an easy way to find more people like them. because, oftentimes you can also see their network. After all, birds of a feather often flock together. So, the guy who bought your CBD or crypto domain, probably hangs with similar persons. Etc.

So, there you go, a quick primer.

Finally, if someone does get an inquiry for a domain name and wants help closing a deal with a qualified buyer with a high potential prospect, I am happy to help out.

Rob...i met you online a little over two years ago, and it was shortly after that I connected with you on Linkedin July 1, 2017 after sending you the following message via Linkedin's private message program;

"RockHappens(.)com"

"Rob....Rich Morris, an S.O.B aka "Son Of a Buckeye" and "Son Of Blessed" We've been sharing a few emails concerning domain valuations, and I think we should connect. Besides, I have a couple of very good friends with ties to Cornell. One of them co-authored a book called "Honor On the Line" about honor and integrity in sports surrounding Cornell."

The reason i wanted to share this is to show others how much you can learn from a Linkedin bio. I already owned the domain RockHappens that I'd bought a few months earlier for $10 from GD, and I was seeking Rob's opinion about the name. I'm not sure if he ever shared it, but I see where I dropped it, and it's available for anyone to buy today for the same $10 I paid for it. Shortly after meeting Rob, I bought the domain CrewHappens(.)com to give to him because I learned from his bio that he crewed for Cornell, and I thought he might like it? After all, it only cost me $10.

I've noticed that I'm one of a few NP members who provides a link to my Linkedin bio, for I thought it might add to my credibility just like it added to Rob's, but for those critics who attempt to discredit my every word, they claim it's all LIES:xf.rolleyes:

Moving on, I've used Linkedin to connect with the former CEO of Go Daddy, and a few other high profile people in the domain world. I've been using it to attract a technical partner of sorts who recognizes my strengths/talent and as such, I may be getting close:xf.wink:

As a result of Robs post, I just reached out to "RJ" (founder of NP) via Linkedin realizing he's someone I should get to know in the industry. Most of you know I'm a pretty determined guy who sees value investing just $10 in a name like RockHappens, but I've learned the name probably won't sell itself in my lifetime, however I need to "make the name", even if I have to give it away to someone who wants to develop it ,and they can pay me later:xf.rolleyes:

Finally, it's because of Linkedin and NamePros that I've made friends from all over the world....am I Blessed or What:xf.grin:

 
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We do have use of an API for detecting Trademarks.

However, the key is not to TRESPASS on trademarks. One easy way to avoid that is to not use PPC landers but instead SSL landers -- just indicate make offer or contact form, not even with a price.

After all, trademarks are awarded in narrow classes. Someone making soft fabrics using microfiber can potentially own Microsoft.

The main thing is to avoid bad faith registrations. Most people know what those are and will steer clear of those unless they like the idea of navigating UDRP.

If folks really want to see a Trademark warning in their domain search results, we have the data to do it. So, just like @jmaurya's post. if he gets 20 likes on his question, we'll do it.

Rob said,
"After all, trademarks are awarded in narrow classes. Someone making soft fabrics using microfiber can potentially own Microsoft."

"The main thing is to avoid bad faith registrations"

Made me "Snicker":xf.wink:...note, i only "snicker" in good faith:xf.smile:
 
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Good morning.

Congratulations to all concerned for an excellent sale.

Will you re-invest your wedge or enjoy life a little bit more?

And the moral of this story is...Yes, you can mix letters and numbers in the same domain name contrary to popular belief.

I know..statistics..facts..blah..blah..blah

The next pie is on me.

Regards,

Reddstagg
 
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It is not a full CRM (yet) but it sure is a handy tool. I suppose SalesForce.com should have bought LinkedIn when they had the chance.

At Epik, we are going to explore the LinkedIn API to see how we can more effectively integrate into our CRM platform for managing inquiries. There might be something compelling there.

LinkedIn has been a great avenue for myself to reach end users. I have made several 5 and 4 figure sales through linkedIN. @Rob Monster gave great advice how to approach CEO's and upper level management as well as how to format linkedin page. LinkedIN is a huge advantage if used right. Definitely build rapport first because no one likes being cold pitched or they won't answer. Much easier to sell when there is a level of comfort or even to pass along to prospects network which happens frequently.
 
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I also found getemail.io extension to be very valuable. about 75-80% of getting emails on linkedin work with this add on. Does anyone recommend something better they have had success with?
 
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Forgot to mention, here is my LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/enlightenedcapitalist/

I also mis-stated about the 2nd level connections -- it is actually 1.8 million:

Show attachment 144940

One reason second level connections are useful is that people will often accept your invite to connect if your are 1 degree of separation from an existing connection.

If you are a NP member, you can send a friend request. My network is not hidden so have at it. LinkedIn maxes out at 30,000 connections so won't be too long before that is maxed out.
... I have 2.6M ;)

upload_2020-2-18_16-24-46.png
 
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Not only are you a clever deal guy but you also have a network.

Perhaps some day you can send the helicopter so I can come hang out on your yacht.

Keep crushing it and perhaps lift up a few others along the way. There is a lot of joy there. Trust me on that.
 
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Not only are you a clever deal guy but you also have a network.

Perhaps some day you can send the helicopter so I can come hang out on your yacht.

Keep crushing it and perhaps lift up a few others along the way. There is a lot of joy there. Trust me on that.

Thanks Rob. The yacht and helicopter are a distant dream but one should have dreams! I am happy providing for my family for now and helping who I can with what I have - usually knowledge rather money. I do try to help but I wont pretend to be a saint. I have been working on being more pious recently and I feel a lot more content for doing so. One thing I do know for sure, this life is temporary and the hereafter is where the greatest reward lies. Take refuge in God and trust in him. Be kind to others and do not forget, "To God we belong and to him we shall return".

Thank you for the kind words regarding the deal :). Congrats on the sale too
 
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Thanks Rob. The yacht and helicopter are a distant dream but one should have dreams! I am happy providing for my family for now and helping who I can with what I have - usually knowledge rather money. I do try to help but I wont pretend to be a saint. I have been working on being more pious recently and I feel a lot more content for doing so. One thing I do know for sure, this life is temporary and the hereafter is where the greatest reward lies. Take refuge in God and trust in him. Be kind to others and do not forget, "To God we belong and to him we shall return".

Thank you for the kind words regarding the deal :). Congrats on the sale too


AMEN
 
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I never used linked in although I'm pro in at least one thing. I hate their verifications. If there is a way to bypass their verifications (like by using free online sms) please feel free to share.
.....
I can't view contents of linkedin pages either.
If I were Rob, I would advertise top domains of my customers in my profile. (But then owners of those domains should be willing to pay higher than usual commission, like 20-40 percent, depending on liquidity).
 
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Thanks for the assist, @Rob Monster. It is good to remember LinkedIn can be a useful tool in domain negotiations. We have not connected on there yet so I just sent you an invitation.

This is my LinkedIn profile if any other NP members would like to connect:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronaldjames/



This is correct. I have not been involved with ownership or operation of NamePros since 2012... 8 years--wow--time flies. I'm just a member here now like everyone else. :couchpotato:

Congrats RJ
 
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I was offered a 135,000 offer my Superannuation.com from a Neobank CEO
Turned it down but we've become good friends. Networking on lINKEDiN IS EXCELLENT

Maybe he is giving you 2 or 3 zeros for free but you still don't like it.
 
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Good morning.

Congratulations to all concerned for an excellent sale.

Will you re-invest your wedge or enjoy life a little bit more?

And the moral of this story is...Yes, you can mix letters and numbers in the same domain name contrary to popular belief.

I know..statistics..facts..blah..blah..blah

The next pie is on me.

Regards,

Reddstagg

Thanks Reddstagg, I love pie!

I'm always on the lookout for good domains. This was a number domain that I believed in. Numbers can sometimes make sense in a domain, and this is one of those cases.

Motel 6, Life 360, Forever 21, all good brand making use of numbers.

10 years ago, I would have said 23andme.com isn't worth reg fee. Somehow they made it work for them.
 
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Thanks Reddstagg, I love pie!

I'm always on the lookout for good domains. This was a number domain that I believed in. Numbers can sometimes make sense in a domain, and this is one of those cases.

Motel 6, Life 360, Forever 21, all good brand making use of numbers.

10 years ago, I would have said 23andme.com isn't worth reg fee. Somehow they made it work for them.

Thank you for your kind words.

I live in Ireland so I was able to hand register the following:

www. 3DMov.ie
www. 3D-Mov.ie

Numbers, hyphens and domain hacks in one. It' not even a Dot.com. Sheesh...will these Newbies never learn!!!

That will never sell...lol

They're a good showcase for my portfolio lander if nothing else.

Onwards and upwards and more pie!!!

Regards,

Reddstagg
 
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Great that a deal was closed but the imperative info is —-an offer/interest came in first.

We are all well aware LinkedIn is a good place for info on people and companies. The tricky part is not getting deleted or blocked for unwanted spamming/marketing of names.

There are domainers who have ruined it for more measured domainers with hounding people incessantly on there who have no interest in their crap domains.

The best way to tread is lightly as far as unsolicited marketing. LinkedIn is one of many tools to gather info but no sure bet when you are trying to get people to buy names they haven’t shown interest in.
Holy words
 
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